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public shooting range...gone wrong

I travel alot for a construction company, I go all over the united states. I have been to a ton of bow shops and ranges public and private. Most ranges have posted range rules weather it public, private or at a bow shop. WELL I went to a range in GA today to finish sighting in my new bow and there was a father and several boys there maybe 5 boys in total. The father was trying out a stickbow he had built himself. I stopped at a fast food joint to get something to eat before I shot. While I was sitting in my truck eating I watched the father shoot. The targets had 4' by 4' butts. The father was having problems hitting the 4' by 4' backstop with his newly built bow and I had a bad feeling from the git go. I walked up with my case and quiver and began setting up all the while watching the father who hit the backstop roughly 3 out of 6 shots...ok no biggie. So i finished getting set up and walked up to the line, took one shot and wanted to walk down range to take a look(there was a pretty good cross wind). He was moving his childrens stuff off the line over to the picnic table. I yelled down range and went to retrieve my arrow. While pulling my arrow I hear a thunk, thunk thunk. He was shooting while I was pulling my arrow. Holy crap forget about all the range rules at this place its survival of the smartest here. I walked up to the line and packed my stuff and left. I didn't even say anything to this guy I didn't think it was worth since his kids were squirrel hunting in a public park with bows and were no better shot than their father. Ok so how do people get away with doing thing like this. That was the most dangerous situation I have been involved in quite some time and I had zero control of the situation. I called a buddy and told him about it and he asked me if we had words and I said no actually I was so scared I that never even crossed my mind. Please let me remind you that 3 out of 6 arrows weren't even hitting the 4' by 4' back stop. SO my question is what would you have done because I have never encountered something like this ever. Most places will threaten to kick a guy out if he even nocks an arrow while someone is down range. WOW just though I would share how my afternoon went.

Well like I said I have never been in a situation like that before and was so shell shocked I never thought to say anything I know that some poeple would instictivly say something but my inital instictive thought was get the hell outta there. No one ever had to tell me not to shoot while someone was down range. If I ever was told not to shoot down range while another person was retriveing arrows or looking at their targets it was when I was a very very young child. I can't believe it isn't self explanitiory. If we were at a rifle range I bet he wouldn't have done that. and again now that its all over I wish I woulda said something but I just wanted to get outta there. Thats all that was in my head at that exact moment.

Well like I said I have never been in a situation like that before and was so shell shocked I never thought to say anything I know that some poeple would instictivly say something but my inital instictive thought was get the hell outta there. No one ever had to tell me not to shoot while someone was down range. If I ever was told not to shoot down range while another person was retriveing arrows or looking at their targets it was when I was a very very young child. I can't believe it isn't self explanitiory. If we were at a rifle range I bet he wouldn't have done that. and again now that its all over I wish I woulda said something but I just wanted to get outta there. Thats all that was in my head at that exact moment.

Often newbies shoot like this and often dont know rules of the range. You should have told him and keep shooting.
DB

When the weather is nicer and we have more daylight, I frequently shoot at a public range. I haven't had to do it often, but several times I've had to speak up to keep people from doing something stupid. Only one time have I felt the shooter was being unsafe enough to really get in his face. I told him about the rules and when he was belligerent I suggested that we contact the park police for an interpretation of the rules.

I had my cell phone, and when I began the call, he packed up & left. This was a couple of years ago and I haven't seen him since.

Most times if you approach people in a non-threatening way, they quickly quit doing whatever stupid thing that they were doing. I've made a couple of long term friends this way.

To keep these public ranges open, we have to speak up. As soon as someone is injured and sues the park, the range will likely be closed.

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